Device used for coating the interior of a water main



58.31.18, 1938. {NGLEE 2,105,004-

DEVICE USED FOR COATING THE INTERIOR OF WATER MAIN I Filed May 20, 1957.24 4 4 i R k M I3 /5 :2 1. 5J7 '\nlffnnrrnn\fin'unn \ummnum mum 2l 4 Zw mimmm W! V CLINTON INGLEJE. INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Jan'. 1a, 1938UNITED STATES DEVICE USED FOR COATING THE INTERIOR OF A WATER MAINClinton Inglee, New York, N. Y., asslgnor to National Water MainCleaning 00., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May20, 1937, Serial No. 143,636

8 Claims. My invention relates to a device for depositing a protectivecoating on the inner face oi! metalconduits and particularly to conduitsoi the type used as water mains.

More particularly this invention pertains to a device of this character,which is adapted to be drawn through a water main, and which in passingdeposits the coating on the interior of the latter by means ofelectrolysis from a colloidal solution or emulsion of fluxed bitumen andother ingredients in an aqueous medium.

- Itis the purpose of my invention to provide a negativelychargedcathode consisting of a flexible spring-like conducting section havinglongitudinally spaced radially disposed insulated centering springs tosupportthe flexible section and prevent contact thereof with theinterior of the conduit, and inflated rubber headers at opposite ends ofthe cathode to form close contact with the conduit and provide a movingchamber to receive the electrolytic solution and carry it along with thecathode during the electrolytic process.

One embodiment of my invention is described in the followingspecification, set forth in the appended claims and illustrativelyexemplified in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is asubstantially longitudinal sectional view of a straight section of metalconduit with coating apparatus and electrolytic solution therein:

Figure 2 is a substantially longitudinal sectional view of a curved orelbow section of pipe showing the coating apparatus in elevationtherein; and

Figure 3 is a substantially transverse sectional view taken on lines 3-3of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, Ill denotes the straight section of water mainin Figure 1 and Ma the curved section in Figure 2.

The coating or depositing apparatus according to the present invention,comprises a flexible central cylindrical core ll consisting of a lengthof helicallycoileri wire of, electrically conducting material, embracedexteriorly at opposite ends and centrally thereofby collars H ofinsulating material. Centering spring arms l3 are attached to eachcollar l2 and normally flare outwardly and rearwardly to contact theinner face of the conduit and support the core ll centrally thereof. Therings or collars i2 at opposite ends have each a bail H, the forwardbail receiving a link coupling l attached to the trailing end of thecable l6 by means of which the entire apparatus is towed through themain. The rear bail carries a coupling l1 and short link section oi.cable 3. Both cables l6 and I! carry and project through rubber headersl9 each of which consists of an inflated bag or cylindrically shapedmember having a tubular passage 20 axially 5 thereof to allow the cableto pass through and provide a liquid contact between the wall of thepassage 20 and that 01' the cable. Each header i9 is provided with a.valve 2| for inflating and deflating purposes and the leading headeraccommodates an insulated wire .22 leading from an electric generator(not shown) to the forward end of the flexible conducting core II. Thetrailing header is held to its cable i8 by means of a disc 23 againstwhich the header abuts and a nut and washer 24 attaching the disc 23 tothe end'of the cable.

In operation. the cable i6 is placed in a section.

. of the pipe or water main to be coated interiorly and the forwardheader i9 is inflated to close the bore of the main beyond theapparatus. The insulated wiret22 provides the negative electrical chargeto the flexible core Ii while the conduit or main itself forms theanode. The apparatus is drawn or pulled into the main III by means 25 ofthe cable 16 until the trailing header is is just short of entering themain. The electrolytic solution is then fed into the space between theheaders until the chamber is full.

The current is applied and the depositing or electrolytic process startsto set up a coating upon the interior wall of the main. This operationcontinues within the confines of the two headers as the apparatus ispulled slowly through the main.

The advantttge oi the flexible core cathode resides in its ability totraverse almost any angle without danlggioi touching the wall of theconduit and ca g a short circuit vin the line. the central suspe 'ion ofthe core being insured by 40 the centering I ring arms l3.

The desirab 'ty of confining the coating solutions to the sp ce betweenthe headerswill be readily appreci ted since it is obvious that thequantity of electrolyte necessary for use in the present apparatus is agreat deal less than would be required were .the trailing header notused. This is particularly true when the conduit is angular or disposedin the shape of an elbow,- in which case the chamber between the headerscan be filled with the electrolyte and caused to traverse the conduit ina relatively small quantity, as illustrated inFigure 2. Without thisdisposition of the headers it would be necessary to practically fill theentire conduit with'the solution in order to insure complete depositentirely over the interior surface.

v hold the electrolyte from seeping out of the chamber formed betweenthe two headers.

Having described my invention and the manner in which the same operates,what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. An apparatus for electrodepositing a protective coating from anelectrolyte on the interior surfaces of metal'conduits in which thelatter receives a ositive electric charge, comprising a negativelycharged flexible cathode traversing said conduit, and nonconductivecentering means carried by the flexible cathode and supporting the sameat spaced intervals between its ends and throughout its length againstcontact with the conduit.

2. An apparatus for electrodepositing a protective coating from anelectrolyte on the interior surface of ametal conduit in which thelatter receives a positive electric charge, comprising a negativelycharged flexible cathode formed from a length of helically woundconducting material and nonconductive centering members carried by theflexible cathode and supporting the same at spaced intervals between itsends and throughout its length against contact with the conduit.

. 1 3.-An' apparatus for electrodepositing a proconduit, insulatedspring centering devices car-- ried at spaced intervals about saidcathode between the endsthereof to prevent contact of the latter withthe surface oi the conduit and a cable to draw the cathode through theconduit.

4. An apparatus for electrodepositing a protective coating from anelectrolyte on the interior surface of a metal conduit in which thelating said conduit, non-conducting centering means carried by theflexible cathode and supporting the same at spaced intervals between theends and throughout its length against contact with the conduit andresilient header members under compression to engage the surface of theconduit at opposite ends of the flexible cathode to confine theelectrolytic solution to the space surrounding the cathode duringmovement of the latter throughout the conduit, each of said headerscomprising an inflated rubber bag.

5. An electrodepositing apparatus, as claimed in claim 4, in which eachof said inflated rubber bags has a tubular core open at its ends, saidapparatus comprising further a link for the trailing end of the cathodeprojecting through the tubular core of the rear header and beingarranged to drag the latter along with the cathode, and a' cableconnection at the leading end of the apparatus projecting through thetubular core of the leading header and being connected to the forwardendof the cathode, the walls of the tubular cores closely embracing thelink and cable to form a seal against leakage of the electrolytesolution therethrough.

6. An electrodepositing apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, in which saidcentering means comprises insulating bands encircling the cathode atspaced intervals throughout its length, spring arms mounted on the bandsand projecting rearwardly and radially to yieldably engage and traversethe interior surface of the conduit to center the cathode.-

7. An electrodepositing apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, in which saidcentering means comprises insulating bands encircling the, cathode atspaced intervals throughout its length, spring arms mounted on the bandsand projecting rearwardly and radially to yieldably engage and traversethe interior surface of the conduit to center the cathode, a bale foreach end band, a cable projecting through the forward header andconnected to the forward bale whereby the apparatus is drawn through theconduit, a link connection with the rearward bale projecting through therear header to cause the same to be dragged along with the cathode.

8. An electrodepositing apparatus, as claimed in claim 4, in which eachof said inflated rubber bags has a tubular core open at its ends, saidapparatus comprising further a link for the trailing end of the cathodeprojectingthrough the tubular core of the rear header and being arrangedto drag the latter along with the cathode, and a cable connection at theleading end of the apparatus projecting through the tubular core of theleading header and being connected to the forward end of'the cathode,the wallsof the tubular cores closely embracing the link and cable toform a seal against leakage of the electrolyte solution therethrough,and an insulated wire connected to said cathode and projected throughthe tubular core of the leading header adjacent the saidcable.

CLINTON INGLEE.

